Are You Ready For The Cold Snap?

The sudden cold snap that has hit the UK seems to have taken many people by surprise, including us!

But to help try and keep you all in good health over the next coming weeks, I would recommend strengthening your immune system!

As always I would recommend a good basic vitamin & mineral nutritional foundation, heavy on the antioxidant to help stimulate the immune system. In the Health Plus range there are really two ways to go here, firstly Immuno Power for a one-a-day single tablet, or the more complex Immunade Pack, which contains the Immuno Power plus more antioxidant nutrients, to give the ultimate antioxidant vitamin & mineral programme.

Once you have this basic foundation there are many other supplements you can take on top of these to really boost your immune system and improve general health and fitness! These include Co Enzyme Q10, Echinacea, Mushroom Complex and many other products found in our Antioxidant website section. But, of course if you don’t want to take a multivit then we would always recommend Vit C and Zinc.

And in other news, not totally related!

Study Unlocks Pycnogenol®’s Skin Health Mechanism!
A daily supplement of an extract from the French Maritime Bark, called Pycnogenol®, may boost skin elasticity by 25% and skin hydration by 8%, according to a new study!
Twelve weeks of supplementation with Pycnogenol® was associated with increases in skin elasticity and hydration, and an increase in the production of hyaluronic acid in skin by 44%, according to findings published in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. These increases have now been associated with a 3% reduction in skin wrinkles, said the researchers from Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF) in Dusseldorf, Germany.

This is not the first time that Pycnogenol® has been linked with skin health benefits, with the study being carried out on a group of healthy women aged between 55 and 68.

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/606714.html

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Now accepting PayPal

If you’ve visited the main site at all in the last few days, you might have noticed the new sign:

Additional Options

That’s right. In response to requests from many of our customers we’ve added the option to use PayPal for every order that you place at www.healthplus.co.uk. Just select the ‘PayPal’ option when presented with the available payment methods.

When you’re taken out to the PayPal site, you’ll get the option to pay using your PayPal account, if you have one, or with your credit / debit card.

Let us know if you’ll be using PayPal, as we always welcome your feedback.

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Is diabetes becoming a new epidiemic?

With obesity and diabetes being quite high on the health news agenda recently, I thought I’d let you know about a couple of studies that make very interesting reading!

Low Vitamin D Status May Be Associated With Diabetes Development!
A study of obese and non-obese children in the USA has found that low vitamin D levels were significantly more prevalent in obese children – and were associated with risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including insulin resistance.

The study team measured plasma vitamin D levels, blood sugar levels, serum insulin, BMI and blood pressure, and the participants were asked to provide dietary information – including daily intake of fizzy drinks, juice and milk, average fruit and veg intake, and whether or not they routinely skipped breakfast.

The team found that 92% of the obese subjects had a 25 (OH) D level below the ‘adequate’ levels of 75 nmol per litre, whilst 50% were classed as deficient – with levels below 50 nmol per litre.

“Our study found that obese children with lower vitamin D levels had higher degrees of insulin resistance,” said Dr Micah Olson of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center – the lead author of the study.

“Poor dietary habits such as skipping breakfast and increasing soda and juice were (also) associated with the lower vitamin D levels seen in obese children,” revealed Olson.

High rates of vitamin D deficiency have been found in obese populations and past studies have linked low vitamin D levels to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

However the authors noted that the mechanics by which obesity and its related illnesses are related to vitamin D deficiency are not fully understood and needed more research!

Living in a more northerly hemisphere as we do, with less sunshine in winter months and kids propensity to not play out as much, we feel that a vitamin D supplement is well worth the investment!


Grapefruit compound may boost diabetic kidney health!
Naringenin, responsible for the bitter taste in grapefruits, lemons and tomatoes, has already been reported to offer potential benefits for people with diabetes, arteriosclerosis and hyper-metabolism.

A new study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, adds to this body of science, and suggests that the compound may boost kidney health in people with diabetes, and it has been suggested that inflammation may contribute to its development.

It’s because of this effect on health and blood sugars that we have added Grapefruit powder to our Acai Berry Extract product to help people control blood sugar levels whilst helping them to lose weight effectively!

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/594785.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/583599.html

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Happy New Year!

Health Plus would like to wish customers and friends a Happy New Year and good health and prosperity for 2012!

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Happy Christmas and see you in the New Year!

Happy Christmas from everyone at Health Plus

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Mood and Memory, don’t forget your supplements!

Sometimes memory, mood and mental health get forgotten (no pun intended!), but there are ways of helping these conditions nutritionally that, well stop them becoming a problem!

Low Vitamin B12 levels may increase the risk of reduced mental function!
We’ve known for a long time that vitamin B12 is essential for the proper formation of the brain in a foetus during pregnancy, but it would also appear from recent studies that it may also be just as necessary to slow down the loss of brain volume as we age.

The markers of vitamin B12 status were associated with lower scores on a cognitive test and a smaller brain volume for those with lower B12 levels. “Our findings definitely deserve further examination,” said the study’s lead author Christine Tangney, PhD.

This is not the first report of the potential benefits of B12 on brain shrinkage.

“Our findings lend support for the contention that poor vitamin B12 status is a risk factor for brain atrophy and possible white matter hyperintensity, which in turn may contribute to cognitive impairment,”.

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is mainly found in food of animal origin, including meat, milk and eggs, so can become very deficient in vegetarians and vegans. Although many supplements are now available which are made using a fermentation method and so are suitable for both these groups.


Vitamin B can slow cognitive decline!
A double-blind clinical study with people who have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has found vitamin B can slow the ailment.

“In this small intervention trial, B vitamins appear to slow cognitive and clinical decline in people with MCI, in particular those with elevated homocysteine,” the researchers wrote in the University of Oxford-sponsored study.

The research team, led by Celeste A de Jager, focused on homocysteine levels – a risk factor in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease – which among the 70 year+ participants dropped by 30% compared to those on a placebo. The participants of the study each received a daily dose of 800µg Folic Acid, 500µg vitamin B12 and 20mg vitamin B6 for two years, whilst a second group received only a placebo.

The results produced quite significant findings and is yet again another triumph for the B vitamin group and how significant they are in our daily lives.


Multivitamins may boost alertness and mood for men!
Finally here’s a great story for all you women out there, who complain that your men just don’t listen to you. Maybe you need to increase their multivitamin intake!

A new study following hot on the heels of a report in Psychopharmacology, indicated that a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement may boost alertness and memory in men, especially older men!

Multivitamin and mineral supplements are the most commonly used supplements in industrialised countries to help ensure an adequate nutrient intake, and boost overall health. Most multivitamins contain a wide spectrum of nutrients, including antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, calcium and selenium – all of which have at various times been linked to improved health and helping to prevent a wide variety of conditions.

The study took place over an eight week period and involved men between the ages of 50 and 69, who were split into two groups, one set taking the multivitamin and the other a placebo. The effect of the supplement on mood and alertness was assessed using a range of questionnaires, and results showed an improvement in the multivitamin group according to the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS), but no benefits were recorded for the placebo group.

Yet another reason to make sure we get a good all-round multivitamin nutritional foundation, especially us men who unfortunately make up a very tiny proportion of supplement purchasers in the UK.

Sources:
BBC Health news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11569602
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://mobile.nutraingredients.com/research/low-b12-levels-may-boost-brain-shrinkage-study.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/560690.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/research/multivitamins-may-boost-alertness-and-mood-for-men-rct-data.html

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The Latest and Greatest News & Views!

Sorry for the recent silence, but things have just been hectic, in a good way I might add!

So here’s the news and views from the past few weeks:

Vitamins
Vitamin D has had a couple of good mentions lately, one from a Cancer Research UK funded study which has noted that fair-skinned people who are prone to sunburn (ha ha this weather!) may need to take supplements to ensure they get enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for healthy bones and teeth and may also play a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure.

All joking aside this is especially important in the winter months when the days are shorter and we are more covered up, adding fair-skinned people to the high risk group, like dark-skinned people such as African-Caribbean and South Asian origin, as well as the elderly, young children, pregnant and breast feeding women. Prof Newton-Bishop said “most people could safely take 10µg (micrograms) of vitamin D daily.”

The second vitamin D finding has stated that the consumption of 800iu (20µg) of either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 per day can have a significant reduction on the ‘risk of falling’ in the over 60 age bracket, especially when combined with the mineral calcium! This is a finding that has come directly from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), after studying many research papers and five randomised clinical trials.

The panel agreed that vitamin D supplementation (800-1000iu : 20-25µg) in combination with calcium, when compared to calcium alone, could benefit “body sway, muscle function and strength, or both, significantly reducing the risk of falling…”

Vitamin E has also been featured in two recent studies, one promoting its benefits in helping to reduce lung disease in both smokers and non-smokers. Studying 38,597 women either already suffering from or with a high potential to suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), with the researchers concluding that the consistently high antioxidant levels associated with the vitamin E correlated directly to a lower risk of COPD and asthma.

The second study, from Malaysia, associates vitamin E rich supplements with a reduction in blood cholesterol levels and so offering a benefit to cardiovascular health. The results showed a decrease of about 5% compared to the the placebo group!

Herbals
Ginger which has traditionally really been used as a travel or pregnancy sickness remedy is now starting to get a lot more attention in studies, and a couple of recent ones have clearly shown it in a very different light!

A very recent study has indicated itself to be the first study to demonstrate the anti-prostate cancer activity of ginger. The findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that ginger inhibited the growth of prostate cancer by 56%. The rich source of antioxidants, including gingerols, found in ginger has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities, and it is these that the scientists believe have this amazing effect on the development of the cancer, preventing the spread of the tumor.

Ginger has also been indicated in helping to reduce the inflammation of the colon in certain groups, again because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The researchers concluded that people who regularly consumed ginger root or its supplements could reduce the risk of colon cancer as they experienced a 28% decrease in colon inflammation – an important precursor to colon cancer – compared to those taking a placebo.

Dr Suzanna Zick and her team assigned volunteers to take either a ginger root extract supplement or a placebo, every day for 28 days. The levels of inflammation in the intestines was measured before and after the trial, and they found significantly reduced markers in those taking the ginger root extract.

Zeaxanthin, an extract from the Marigold, has recently been studied using war veterans with early signs of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and been shown to improve night driving ability, improve eye chart reading and decrease the number of blind spots. The study was conducted by Dr Stuart Richer at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Chicago and published in the Journal of Optometry.

This study has significant relevance as AMD, a degenerative retinal disease that causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision, is the leading cause of blindness for people over 55 in the Western world.

So, I hope this recent round of news, views and studies is of interest to you all and shows that despite all the legislation being thrown at us there is still plenty happening in the fascinating world of nutrition.

Sources:
BBC Health news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15151930
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/565908
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/research/vitamin-e-tocotrieols-show-cholesterol-benefits-for-healthy-adults-study.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/research/vitamin-e-supplements-may-reduce-lung-disease-risk-cornell-study.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/research/ginger-extract-shows-prostate-benefits-human-benefits.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/research/ginger-supplements-may-reduce-colon-inflammation-and-cancer-risk-suggests-study.html
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/575674

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Boost Your Immune System With Probiotics!

With the way the weather has been over the past couple of weeks and the beginning of Autumn just around the corner I thought this study seemed quite fitting!

According to findings recently published in the British Journal of Nutrition, a daily supplement of beneficial multi-strain probiotic bacteria may boost the immune system function by an average of 50%.

The results were based on a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study involving 211 subjects over a six week period, with measurements of the IgG3 antibody being taken.

“The outcomes of this study, as well as data from previous studies, show that supplementation with these probiotic strains result in a strengthening of various parts of the immune system,” said Birgit Michelsen, director of scientific affairs, Health & Nutrition Division at Chr. Hansen. With IgG3 anti body levels increasing between 46% and 66% in those taking the probiotcs.

“This will very likely translate into a clinical benefit, such as reduced rates of infection.”

Probiotics are defined as ‘live micro-organisms’ which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.

As well as these immune boosting properties, probiotics have long been associated with intestinal and digestive benefits and a positive effect on the body in general.

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Probiotics-again-show-immune-boosting-activity-Study

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Vitamin D the sunshine vitamin, may reduce depression for women!

A new study has reported that increased intake of vitamin D has been associated with a reduced prevalence of depression for post-menopausal women. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 21% lower for women with a daily vitamin D intake exceeding 800iu per day, compared with intakes of less than 100ius.

These findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and were based on data taken from 81,189 participants of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study.

Dr JoAnn Manson of Harvard and her team led the study and concluded, “Overall, our findings support a potential inverse association of vitamin D and depressive symptoms in post-menopausal women.”

Whilst our bodies manufacture vitamin D on exposure to sunshine, the levels in some northern hemisphere countries are so weak during the winter that our body’s make no vitamin D at all, meaning that supplements and fortified foods are seen by many as the best way to guarantee and boost vitamin D levels.

So with winter seemingly fast approaching make sure you get enough vitamin D.

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Vitamin-D-May-Reduce-Depression-For-Women-Study

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Winter just around the corner?

So with the sudden change in the weather today I thought I’d do a quick news story about zinc and how it might shorten the duration of colds (I know depressing, but winter seems just round the corner!) by up to 40%.

According to a new systematic review of evidence published in the ‘Open Respiratory Medicine Journal’, zinc has a beneficial effect on the duration of the common cold. The results suggested that taking a zinc supplement (15mg) every 2 waking hours, at the first signs of the development of the cold, could reduce the duration of symptoms of the cold by an average of 7 days.

This review covers data from several trials, all of varying length and with varying strengths of zinc.

Oh and just in, hot off the press!

Women who begin using a multivitamin supplement around the time of conception have a much lower risk of giving birth prematurely.

A new study has reported that multivitamin use was associated with a 16% reduction in the risk of pre-term birth, and a 20% reduction in the risk of pre-term labour. The researchers followed 35,897 women whose multivitamin use was recorded during a 12 week period around the time of conception. Premature birth was defined as birth prior to the 37th week of pregnancy.

“It may be that multivitamin use around the time of conception could be a safe and simple strategy to improve pregnancy outcomes, similar to folic acid supplementation,” wrote the researchers.

Multivitamin use was also associated with a 17% reduction in the risk of giving birth to underweight babies, relative to gestation period.

The authors also noted that zinc, and vitamins C and E have previously been linked to the risk of pre-term birth, which may be related to the impact of oxidative stress on the placenta.

Sources:
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Zinc-lozenges-may-shorten-common-cold-duration
Nutra Ingredients.com: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Multivitamins-may-slash-premature-birth-risk-Study

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